Balancing Achievements

 Balancing Achievements

1. Step 1: Play Oregon Trail

2. Step 2: Chose to play a farmer in Illinois, stocked up on food, oxen, and 1 spare parts for the wagon. Because I stocked up on everything else, I had less money to spend on clothes and bullets but still bought 3 cases. 

3. Select your Role...Banker, Carpenter, Farmer. At the start of the game, players are given their very first decision — who to role-play as determines the level of challenge the player experiences. I chose farmer not knowing it was the hardest. Farmer = hardest and is scored early on in the game by how much money is available when the player starts. Learning occurs through this mechanic to illustrate the Banker would most likely have been the profession to travel the Oregon Trail as money is what sustained supplies and passage over other skills and therefore the journey was much harder for professions that were not rich. This is a completion achievement as the player either wins or loses the game. The reward comes in the replay of the game to experience the other professions.

4. Purchase supplies from the General Store. My biggest thing that I learned as the trail progressed, is that I was unable to trade with anyone because they wanted spare wagon parts which I did not have any extra to trade. I was terrible at hunting, so it helped that I stocked up extra with food. I did well on my food supplies and ammunition though. I pushed through to keep on the trail and found the farther I got the more illnesses and/or exhaustion I found. 

1. To make the journey, players need to have adequate supplies between stores. While players can trade and supplement supplies, not everything is available. The learning comes from having to analyze what is needed for the journey and then evaluating what they would need to survive the journey. Stockpiling supplies at the start of the game may seem like a good plan but random accidents could cause those early stockpiled supplies to be lost (wagon catches fire, attacked by animals, fails to ford the river, etc.).  

	Lower-Order			Higher-Order
Oregon Trail Mechanics	Remember	Understand	Apply	Analyze	Evaluate	Create	Scoring	Reward
Example: Select your Role..Farmer		X		X			Money	Challenge
Justification	The player can recognize there are differences between the roles.			The player can read information to help them project what the journey will be when selecting different roles.			Available starting funds are how each Role is distinguished.	Amount of funds available influences how difficult the journey will be.
Example: Purchase supplies from the General Store	X				X		Consequences	End
Justification	It is your job to remember what all supplies were purchased before beginning so you know mentally what you might be running low on			The player will later evaluate which supplies are most important to keep or to trade for more important supplies throughout the trail			If you did not purchase the correct supplies at the start or spent all of your money, you will see consequences from that occurring throughout the game.	There is not necessarily a reward for this, then the game will end sooner due to your earlier choices.
Choices along the trail				X			Outcomes	Boost
Justification				You have distance in between the next landmarks, along the way as you see watch your weather, pace, health, and rations you need to make decisions to continue with the trail, check supplies, look at map, change pace, change food rations, stop to rest, attempt to trade, or hunt for food. You can do several of these along the trail.			Some of the choices you make will help you to make it day or days further in the game. Some on the other hand, will end your game quicker.	Some of the choices will have outcomes that can give you more choices in the future helping you to make it further along.
Change in conditions (health, weather, rations, pace)					X		Choices	Help
Justification				As health, weather, rations, and pace change along the trail you may need to stop and re-evaluate where you are. Do you need to up or lower your food rations, hunt, trade (if low on supplies), etc.			This goes hand in hand with choices and money spent. If you purchased or left money to purchase items later on, you will be in a better spot. Or if you do not stop and rest then you may find your people in poor health.	If you make the right choices along the path, you will be able to make it to the end of the game.